AI IN PRINT
AI and print services: enhancing cloud management platforms with machine learning
AI and machine learning can provide many benefits to business – but it must be deployed with a plan to realise its potential, as Alastair Nestor, comms lead at PaperCut, explains.
We’re at an interesting inflection point when it comes to machine learning and cloud management platforms, including print management. On the one hand, artificial intelligence (AI) can certainly help with automation, efficiencies and cost cutting (hear that excited murmur from HR). On the other hand, the industry does have a certain dot-com-bubble-wild-west-gold-rush- cum-snake-oil feel to it, where every SaaS operator is slapping ‘AI’ onto their product, whether it’s adding value or not. The trick, like anything, is doing your research. Going in with a plan. Organisations that want to use AI for AI’s sake will likely overspend for little return, but if you shop around with clear metrics, and do your full procurement due diligence, machine learning platforms can certainly supercharge your cloud environment. So, here’s our view on how you can enhance your cloud print management with AI and machine learning.
Machine learning supports predictive maintenance for printers If you buy a modern MFD, chances are good it’s connected to IoT edge devices, which means it’s got more data-collecting sensors than the Death Star. Models equipped with machine learning systems can use this data to analyse usage trends and make predictions on when certain machines will fail, when faults may occur, or when consumables will need to be topped up. That’s good news for fleet operators, customers and field service engineers.
Alastair Nestor comms lead
Machine learning allows print job optimisation
There are a few sides to this one. Machine learning is good at spotting patterns, which means it can forecast future printing needs. By identifying peak printing periods, AI can even schedule less critical jobs during quieter times to avoid congestion. Then there’s dynamic prioritisation. With the right configurations, AI can dynamically prioritise print jobs based on urgency or user roles, even making real-time adjustments to the print queue. Neat, huh?
papercut.com
Enhance security with AI-based threat detection
AI is a weapon in your cyber arsenal – but not a magic bullet. Used correctly, it’s a fantastic aid for spotting anomalous networks or printing behaviour. This includes the obvious stuff like unauthorised server access, but also unusual print volumes, device locations or document types. Machine learning tools can also analyse print job data for signs of malware, including any embedded malicious code.
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